The Ponts Couverts at nightfall

The Ponts Couverts close off Petite France to the west, 4 minutes on foot from the Moulin. Their three towers date from the city’s first stone wall, in the 13^th century. The end of the day is a good time to go, when the lights come on in the façades along the water.

The name comes as a surprise: the wooden roofs that once covered the bridges disappeared long ago. 17^th-century engravings still show four towers linked by covered galleries. The city’s page tells their story.

Here the Ill splits into several branches. The towers controlled entry to the city by river: this mix of fortifications and canals still shapes the look of Petite France today.

7 minutes from the Moulin, the Vauban Dam is a large fortified lock from the late 17^th century. Its thirteen arches could be closed with iron panels to flood the land south of the city in case of attack. Strasbourg.eu has its history in detail.

Its roof is now a terrace open to the public and lit in the evening, with a view of the Ponts Couverts and Petite France. Opening times change with the season: check them on the official page before you go.